Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-01-22


had better go out this way. by the side
door, and then no one will be the wiser
Tor the favor you've done me.n
For one brief instant her worn, pale
faced companion had bent down i'm
pulsively and laid her own soft cheek
against Elsie's, and the next, wholly un-
able to speak, she had disappeared.
"a rather heavier mailbag tonight
than usual, wasn't it, Elsie2"
"Yes, aunt. Thank you for doing it
up for me. At any rate, the registered
letters did not occupy you long while. :"
mo, child"
Meanwhile Elsie had been engaged in
penning a'dozen words or more upon
large sheet of letter-papcr, and the fol-
lowing morning, side by side with the
well. known muffin and crumpet' state
ment, appeared the following:
"a young lady, clever and well-educated.
desires at cnce good morning or daily en-
gagement as governess. Terms moderate.
within"
Miss Josephine had, in most mex.
plicable way, won the woman's en-
tire sympathy, and also the admiration
ut Elsie. Aud vet the latter never seemed
to forget the difference in station that
she considered still existed between her
favorite and herself. She only knew
that the lawyers daughter was very
model of sweet patience, and that she
and all at home were as poor as any
church mouse.
ooh, myr" exclaimed little Bob
Travers that morning, as the letters were
brought in. What shoals of letters
What lot of governesses we shall have,
mother. I do declare if it won't be
Just like an evening party"
Hold your tongue, Bob!" urged his
father, percmptoriy ''Leave the ROOM" :"
Letters of Importance had to be dis
clsscl. most Of them bearing reference
10 what Bob had termed the ''evening
party"
Some applicantsdeclariug they we're ex-
pnricaccd. because niiddle-agcd. Others
q, serted that they were young, and there
fore general Y regarded as having IN at
ira ,tive way with children; which latter
stateme 1t was yet worse. The last.dc-
scribel young ladies would perhaps
prove attractive in other ways and fall
desperately in love with the quiet bach
elor--Unclc Fred.
No, that wouldn't do at all, and in
decided fit of ill-humor Bobs father
threw the entire batch of letters into the
fire.
As usual. when perturted in mind.
mother turned the current OF CONVEX
sation BY addressing Uncle Fred.
81 wish, when passing Janet Lisle's
to-day. You would ask for our maya
zines
All was hurry-skurry, as usual, three
or four hours later on III the post-ofice.
A variety of small packages required i'm
mediate weighing; and it was at this
very .uncture that Uncle Fred placed
his foot upon the threshold.
Something had, however, lust caught
his eye, and without more ado he beat a
hasty retreat-not, however, to a great
distance off.
1.-The very thing" he calculated.
"Therei We have been hunting about
all this while -and to what purpose7
'Particulss within Ehs Why. I'll %
in at once and inquire"
Uncle Fred was a widowcr, and had,
therefore, made his home of late years
with his sister Polly's family. Anything,
be thought, was better than living alone.
He was rich, too, and highly culti-
vated man, with peculiar faculty also
for engaging in the performance of kindly
actions. Like the rest of the family,
however, he had only lately come into
the neighborhood.
''Will you excuse my troubling you
about the notice in the window2n
Elsie started visibly an instant, Yes,
of course This was not the first occasion
upon which she had seen that certainly
striking face. Yesterday, of course,
when be had sent off the registered let
ter
But Elsie was instantly all attention.
Yes sh could tell him all he required
to know and did SO; and even as she
spoke. Elsie's eyes sparklcd brightly and
lovingly. She was doing now what it
rejoiced .r true woman's heart to ven.
turc upon trying to help her favoritc.
"And Miss Falconbridgc thought that
the young lady in question might be
fully relied upon in her guidance Of little
children7" he asked.
''Oh, dear mel Yes-most certainly"
"You can give me her address,"
Elsie noted it down quickly upon a
slip Of paper.
Before the end OF that certainly event
ful day, Miss Josephine was engaged as
daily governess in the family of Uncle
Fred's sister. at the moderate salary Of
two hundred dollars year.
Some months have passed away since
then. Kind Uncle Fred, that he ever is,
has just appeared in tho large, old-fash-
oncd hall, and is assisting miss jose
phinc" in putting on her cloak previous
10 taking her departure for home. He,
and ''sister Polly" also. are both made
II good stuff, and folks say, and
Heaven bless them for it!--only wish to
make her feel at home with them
And for the reason. therefore, it seems
that Uncle Fred not only, on this spec
ial evening, escorts her TO the hall door,
but also n short distance on the road to-
ward home.
As he says, the evening is 50 lovely,